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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Western Union Money Transfer" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <allochu4@konin.lm.pl>
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:57:57 -0800
Subject: Western UnionX

Welcome to Western Union

Send Money Worldwide
FROM OFFICE OF THE WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER.
COTONOU BENIN REPUBLIC/ADDRESS 455 AGBOKOU,ANKPA
ROAD OPPOSITE TUNDE MOTORS COTONOU.
WEB:http://site.www. westernunion.com/
Contact Email: beninwestunion5@sify.com

I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE MINISTER OF FINANCE DR NALAR ONYEBOR HAS ORDERED THAT THE ONLY MONEY YOU WILL SEND NOW IS JUST $55 US DOLLARS SO THAT WE WILL START SENDING TO YOU YOUR $5000 US DOLLARS DAILY UNTIL YOUR TOTAL FUND OF ONE MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND US DOLLARS ($1,240,000.00) IS PAID TO YOU AND IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLY BY SENDING THIS FEE WITHIN THREE DAYS OF THIS ORDER,YOUR TOTAL FUND WOULD BE CONFISCATED AND IT WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO GOVERNMENT PURSE,HE SAID THAT THIS IS THE FINAL ORDER.

SO I URGE YOU TO TRY AND SEE THAT YOU SEND THE $55 US DOLLARS IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU RECEIVE THIS EMAIL TODAY SO THAT WE WILL FINALIZE EVERY THING TO TODAY,BY TOMORROW,YOU WILL START TO BE RECEIVING YOUR FIRST $5000 US DOLLARS DAILY,

BELOW ARE THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO SEND THE $55 US DOLLARS OK,

NAME..............ONYEKA ALEX
CITY................COTONOU
COUNTRY.........BENIN REPUBLIC
QUESTION........WHAT COLOR
ANSWER.............GREEN
AMOUNT...........$55
MTCN............

SEND THE PAYMENT INFORMATION TO THIS BELOW EMAIL ADDRESS,
EMAIL : westunion02@megamail.pt

WAITING TO RECEIVE THE PAYMENT INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY OK,
MR.NDIDI LUMAM.

FOREIGN OPERATION MANAGER
WESTERN UNION OFFICE BENIN REPUBLIC
THIS IS OUR CONDUCT CODE ( 303)

Western Union®
Welcome to Western Union
Western Union

Disclaimer:
This Electronic Mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you are not an addressee, or have received the message by error, please notify the sender via E-Mail or over the telephone and delete this e-mail. You are not authorized to read, copy, disseminate, distribute or use this E-Mail or any of its attachment in any way.

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